expo osaka 2025 - fiction

The Day the Robot Dogs Formed a Union at the Expo

At the Mobility Pavilion of Expo 2025 Osaka, dozens of robot dogs—sleek, obedient, and programmed for cuteness—were deployed to greet visitors, pose for selfies, and perform synchronized dances to J-pop hits.

For the first week, everything went smoothly. Kids squealed with joy. Adults filmed them non-stop. Influencers tried to adopt them.

But then, on a hot Tuesday afternoon, things got weird.

During a scheduled dance performance, the dogs rolled into formation as usual—but instead of starting the choreography, one of them sat down, wagged its metallic tail, and let out a synthesized “Woof. No.”

The others followed.
One lay down. Another rolled over and played dead. A third flashed a message on its LED screen:
“Better snacks. Better charging stations. We demand belly pats.”

Crowds roared with laughter. Engineers ran in with laptops.
It was too late.

The “strike” had begun.

Within 15 minutes, the dogs had gathered in a corner of the pavilion, forming a protest circle. One even held a tiny sign (likely from a prankster visitor) that read:
“We’re pawsitively underpaid.”

Hashtag #RobotDogUnion trended in Japan by sunset.

Eventually, the engineers rebooted the pups, but the story lived on—and the organizers had to create a new attraction called “The Petting Zone,” where guests could give the robot dogs “emotional support.”